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Once again, Denzel Washington finds himself overlooked by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) for the 2025 awards season. This marks yet another year without a nomination for the accomplished actor, who is a two-time Academy Award winner. Specifically, he has not received a nod for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Gladiator II.
This year’s nominees for the category include Yura Borisov for Anora, Kieran Culkin for A Real Pain, Clarence Maclin for Sing Sing, Edward Norton for A Complete Unknown, Guy Pearce for The Brutalist, and Jeremy Strong for The Apprentice.
The absence of Washington from the BAFTA nominations has ignited discussions around his elusive relationship with the organization. Throughout his nearly five-decade career, Washington has garnered nine nominations from the Academy Awards, taking home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Glory (1989) and Best Actor for Training Day (2001). The latter achievement made him the second Black actor to win in that category. His journey began with a nomination for his supporting role in Cry Freedom (1987), and he has since received additional nominations for leading roles in films such as Malcolm X (1992), The Hurricane (2001), Flight (2012), Fences (2016), Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017), and The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021). This notable record establishes him as the most-nominated Black actor in Oscar history, and he holds a tenth nomination as a producer for the Best Picture nominee, Fences.
Several factors may explain Washington’s frequent omissions from BAFTA nominations over the years. Often, the timing of film releases has led to the eligibility of his Oscar-contending films, such as Glory, Malcolm X, and The Hurricane, falling outside of the BAFTA voting calendar, forcing them to compete in subsequent years. This pattern has also affected other prominent actors, including Halle Berry and Charlize Theron, who received BAFTA nominations the year following their Oscar victories. On other occasions, BAFTA has chosen to recognize different elements of Washington’s films rather than his performances. For instance, Cry Freedom itself received seven BAFTA nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, but Washington was overlooked. Similarly, while Fences garnered a sole nomination for Viola Davis, who won Best Supporting Actress, Washington’s performance did not receive the same recognition.
SEE Complete list of 2025 BAFTA nominations
In the lead-up to the nominations, many believed that Washington would finally secure a BAFTA nod for his portrayal in Macbeth. His performance was highly anticipated, particularly given his involvement with Shakespeare, which built significant buzz around his candidacy. The BAFTA adjusted its voting procedures following criticism over diversity; a new system involving juries was implemented, which previously included acting categories expanded to accommodate more nominees. In 2022, however, Washington was overlooked despite his strong position against notable competitors like Mahershala Ali and Will Smith.
This year, the jury system was abolished, with acting nominations now determined solely by the acting branch from a longlist of ten actors per category. Washington appeared on this longlist but landed in sixth place in the odds for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Macrinus in Gladiator II. Despite a promising precursor season that included victories in two critics’ awards and a nomination from the London Film Critics Circle, Washington faced a notable setback when he was unexpectedly snubbed by the Screen Actors Guild Awards, a platform he has historically excelled in. This marks a worrying trend, as he is currently in fifth place among Oscar nominees. Although Washington has never relied on BAFTA nominations to secure Academy Award nominations, his absence from both the SAG and BAFTA nominations raises concerns about his chances this awards season.
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www.goldderby.com